Our Magical Forest

"It's a full moon, just like they promised!!" Signe said as we were hiking through the woods at 10pm.

There is a very special place on our land in Montana called THE FAIRY FOREST. It was discovered 10 or so years ago by a couple of my daughters. There are these fluffy green ferns that are only found there. These are the "fairy ferns". Soon, we found little nooks in the trees (must be where the fairies live) and things progressed from there.

The girls started writing notes to the fairies and leaving them in a box out in the forest. It wasn't long before the fairies were writing back. This has been going on for over 10 years...and it is extremely complicated now. Each grandchild has a "fairy". Here are some of their names: (the fairies, not the grandkids) Pumpernickle, Frangipani, Acorn, Isabelle, and Twalla. Each fairy has an extensive past, favorite color, place they were born etc. etc. As I said: complicated.

Once a year there is a fairy ball that is held in the fairy forest that the grand kids are invited to. It is held at dark...which is pretty late in Montana. Last evening was the night of the ball this year. As Mom, Dad, Mari, Sarah, Teenie, me, Dave, the other Dave, Eric, and 8 of the grand kids went traipsing along to the fairy forest ( Dad following in the gator because we need lights!!) that's when Signe said, "It's a full moon, just like they promised!"

We arrived at the ball and there were twinkly lights up in the trees shining down on the miniature houses on the ground. There were some little gifts left for the kids in the present/note spot. First, everyone just stood still and watched. Soon the fairies started appearing. They disguise themselves in front of humans. But each fairy told their kid what they would be wearing.

Signe's fairy is orange with black spots, but she would be wearing a yellow ball gown. We all stood silently under the moonlight watching and listening. It was a good 15 or 20 minutes when Signe started getting a little sad because her fairy didn't show. It was time to leave and as we turned around toward the Gator a yellow fairy flew right in front of the headlight. I told Signe I saw her, and she quickly turned around and knelt down by the headlight. We waited, and she reappeared. At first Signe was disappointed because the fairy was yellow...then she remembered Isabelle said she would be wearing a yellow ball gown. "Oh!! That's why she was late! She had to change into her gown!" Signe said.

Suddenly the little fairy settled right onto Signe's hand. She stayed there for over 10 minutes. Signe and she stared and stared at each other.

When we got back to the cabin Signe showed me a note she had written Isabelle. "Dear Isabelle, Can you sit on my hand at the fairy ball? And what's your favorite color? Love, Signe"

"Mommy, I didn't even give her the note and she knew what it said. This was the best night of my life. It's the best thing I can think of!"